Interconnectors for a battery assembly

Abstract

A battery module includes multiple electrochemical cells, a circuit board, and multiple interconnectors. Each electrochemical cell includes a terminal. Each of the interconnectors is coupled to the circuit board and to a terminal of one of the electrochemical cells. Each of the interconnectors is a resilient spring-type interconnector.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising a terminal; 
 a circuit board; and 
 a plurality of interconnectors, wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors is coupled to the circuit board and to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells, and wherein each of the interconnectors is a resilient spring-type interconnector, and wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors comprises a pair of rings coupled together by an elastically-compliant member that is configured to flex in response to a force. 
 
     
     
       2. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the elastically-compliant member is configured to allow the pair of rings to flex relative to each other in response to a force. 
     
     
       3. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein a first of the rings is coupled to the circuit board and a second of the rings is coupled to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells. 
     
     
       4. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the elastically-compliant member is integrally formed with the pair of rings. 
     
     
       5. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein a first of the rings has a diameter smaller than a diameter of a second of the rings, and wherein the elastically-compliant member is helically curved with a diameter increasing from a connection point with the first of the rings to a connection point with the second of the rings. 
     
     
       6. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the elastically-compliant member extends from an inner edge of a first of the rings to an outer edge of a second of the rings. 
     
     
       7. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein each of the interconnectors is configured to act as a conductor for measuring a voltage of the associated electrochemical cell. 
     
     
       8. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein the circuit board is flexible. 
     
     
       9. The battery module of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the interconnectors is coupled to a conductor path on the circuit board. 
     
     
       10. The battery module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor electrically coupled to the terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells, the temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the terminal. 
 
     
     
       11. The battery module of  claim 10 , wherein the temperature sensor is mounted on the circuit board, and wherein one of the plurality of interconnectors electrically couples the temperature sensor to the terminal. 
     
     
       12. The battery module of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a conductive bar connecting the terminal of a first of the electrochemical cells to the terminal of a second of the electrochemical cells, the conductive bar including a first copper part connected to the terminal of the first electrochemical cell, a second copper part connected to the terminal of the second electrochemical cell, and a shunt between the first copper part and the second copper part; and 
 a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage drop across the shunt. 
 
     
     
       13. A battery module, comprising:
 a plurality of electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising a terminal; 
 a circuit board; 
 a plurality of interconnectors, wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors is directly coupled to the circuit board and coupled to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells, and wherein each of the interconnectors is a resilient spring-type interconnector; and 
 a plurality of conductive bars, each conductive bar located between an interconnector and a terminal of an electrochemical cell; 
 wherein the circuit board is configured to allow the plurality of interconnectors to be substantially simultaneously conductively coupled to the terminals of the plurality of electrochemical cells. 
 
     
     
       14. The battery module of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors comprises a pair of rings coupled together by an elastically-compliant member that is configured to flex in response to a force. 
     
     
       15. The battery module of  claim 14 , wherein the elastically-compliant member is configured to allow the pair of rings to flex relative to each other in response to a force. 
     
     
       16. The battery module of  claim 15 , wherein a first of the rings is directly coupled to the circuit board and a second of the rings is coupled to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells. 
     
     
       17. A battery module comprising:
 a plurality of electrochemical cells, each of the electrochemical cells comprising a terminal projecting from an end thereof; and 
 a member having a plurality of interconnectors coupled thereto, wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors is coupled to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells to aid in measuring the voltage of the electrochemical cell, and wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors comprises a pair of rings coupled together by an elastically compliant member that is configured to flex in response to a force. 
 
     
     
       18. The battery module of  claim 17 , wherein a first of the rings is coupled to the member and a second of the rings is coupled to a terminal of one of the plurality of electrochemical cells. 
     
     
       19. The battery module of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of interconnectors is soldered to the circuit board.